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The Randolph County Family Resource Network is sponsoring community meetings with Randolph County Superintendent of Schools Dr. James Phares. Upcoming meetings include:

Elkins High School, June 16

Tygarts Valley High School, June 18

Elkins High School, June 25

Pickens School, June 30.

Randolph County Superintendent of Schools Dr. James Phares conducted his second public forum at Harman School on Thursday. About 20 people answered three questions posed by Phares which will help the Randolph County Board of Education develop goals for the 2009-2010 school year.

"The purpose of this meeting is to get input from whoever wants to show up," Phares said. "We have already done this with the teachers and we are going to take the responses to a board planning retreat in July."

Phares told the crowd that many people thought he was going to close schools but he informed the crowd he is a small school advocate.

"There is nothing in the near future to close Harman School," Phares said. "We are going to struggle in the secondary program to ensure the students get the same education at the other schools."

Phares' first question to the crowd was, "What does our community value in our schools?" One individual in the crowd responded that the school serves as a community hub and that much of the community is spread out and it makes it difficult to get to each other.

"It's valuable that the kids are close to home," Stacy McKean said. "They don't have to travel great distances to get to school."

Recently retired teacher Chris Wyatt said there is a sense of unity in the school and the students are always working together. A parent of a special needs student said she values the small classrooms because students get more of a mainstream experience.

Harman School Principal Debbie Schmidlen said, "When push comes to shove around here I only have to make a call to get help from the teachers."

Those in attendance acknowledged that the community serves as a support group for the school and will work on projects at the facility.

Phares' second question was, "What would you like to change about our schools?"

Wyatt responded that the Internet at Harman School does not work as well as it could and there needs to be more Internet drop points throughout the building.

"We have had work orders in for over a year for drops," Wyatt said. "Nothing has been done."

An individual in the crowd said he would like to see the school more secure because people can walk in and out at any time. Phares told the crowd the school system will begin working on its Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan and wants to find people to serve on the committee. He said the community members can help change the plan but they have to show up at the meetings. Several people volunteered to serve on the committee.

"I am interested in improving the relationship between the library and the school," McKean said.

The final question posed by Phares was, "What are you willing to do to bring about the changes you wish to see in our schools?"

Wyatt said he would help work with the teachers to help them become more comfortable with technology and McKean said she would attend board and staff meetings to improve the relationship between the library and school.

Phares was asked how long he would stay as superintendent in Randolph County. He responded that he is on a one-year contract and it would be the board's decision to extend it.

"Historically, I stay in a leadership role for five years," Phares said."If you can't get the job done in five years, you're are not going to get it done."